iPhone Touch Keyboard Lags Behind QWERTY

By Nick Mokey August 16, 2007

iPhone Touch Keyboard Lags Behind QWERTY

There’s just something about hard keys. When many phone connoisseurs first discovered that the iPhone would abandon hard keys in favor of a soft virtual keyboard that appears on a screen, they were skeptical – and it turns out their skepticism was well-founded. Research firm User Centric released the results of their iPhone keyboard study last week, which found that new iPhone users had trouble adapting to the phone’s interface.

Although the iPhone keyboard may elicit different reactions from different people, User Centric did their best to quantify its user-friendliness. They rounded up 20 novice text messagers, allowed them one minute to familiarize themselves with the iPhone, and then conducted a series of speed tests using 12 standard messages, on their phones and on iPhones. In general, those who were used to solid QWERTY keyboards took twice as long to enter messages and made more errors on the iPhone.

Employees at User Centric are aware that the study doesn’t represent an absolute difference between QWERTY keyboards and the iPhone keyboard, since participants naturally had more familiarity with their own phone. They do claim that the study confirms the difficulty that new iPhone users will have adjusting to its interface.

Editors' Recommendations

Managing Editor

As Digital Trends’ Managing Editor, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team delivering definitive reviews, enlightening…

Mobile

How to transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer

The Apple iPhone 15 Plus's gallery app.

As the old saying goes, the best camera is the one you always have with you. If you're like most iPhone users, that means you've likely amassed a sizeable collection of photos on your device. However, while Apple's Photos app is a great way to manage and view your photo library, it's never a good idea to keep all your eggs in one basket. After all, suffering a lost or broken iPhone is painful enough without also losing all your precious digital memories in the process.

Even if you're backing up your iPhone to iCloud or your computer, it's a good idea to keep your photos backed up separately. After all, opening a folder or a photo management app is a much easier way to get at your photos than trying to extract them from an iCloud or iTunes/Finder backup, which requires either restoring them to another iPhone or relying on special software tools.

Mobile

I can’t wait for Nothing to launch this stunning phone

Nothing Community Edition Project winner.

Say what you will about Nothing, but this brand certainly has a taste for flashy design. After all, how many phones out there light up and sync to the beat of music? But the company's latest smartphone endeavor could just be its best yet.

In March, Nothing introduced its Community Edition Project. The goal was to take ideas from its fans for hardware design, with the Nothing Phone 2a serving as the foundation. The company also has similar plans for wallpaper, packaging, and marketing shenanigans. Today, Nothing announced its winning entry for the phone design, and it’s a stunner.

Mobile

How to schedule a text message on your iPhone

Close-up photo of the Messages app on an iPhone.

Do you often send text messages to a friend or family member across the pond? Or do you want to message someone when you know they’re off work and are able to get to you in a reasonable manner? Maybe you want to send a message every day at the same time, to let your significant other know you’re on the way home and to ask if they need you to pick up anything.

If you said yes to any of these scenarios (or other ones you have in your head), you may be looking for a way to schedule text messages on your iPhone. After all, this is a feature that Android users have, and it can often prove incredibly convenient.